Flash light



J. L. SHANNON FLASH LIGHT Filed March 30, 1926 INVENTOR) Jamaal efawzoiz,

Patented Jan; 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES JAMES L. SHANNON, F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLASH LIGHT.

' Application filed March 30, 1926. Serial Norma-163.

This invention relates to signaling devices and more particularly to improvements in flash lights.

An object of the invention is to provide such a light with several electric lamps or bulbs, preferably of diflerent colors and W1 th suitable switches for closing the circuit to any one of the bulbs, or, for all of them at the same time, as desired. Also, with means for opening the circuit to any one or all of the bulbs of the three bulbs.

A further object is to provide a cushioning means for absorbing the blow or weight of the battery when it is inserted in its casing for making contact with a common terminal to all of the lampsthrough the metallic reflector which forms a part of the electric circuit.

A further object is to enable the user to quickly change from one colored light to the other or to flash 'more than one light at a time. The improvement is especially adapted for trat'lic officers at street crossings, for drivers of motor vehicles for giving the desired signal, and for other purposes.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig, 1 is anelevational View of side casing of the flash light.

Fig. 2 is an'elevational view of Fig. 1 looking from the right to illustrate the three the out.-

difi'erent colored bulbs.

Fig. 3 is an elevational end view of the casing with the lens and reflector removed" from the ,inclosing' casing illustrating the three contact terminals and the spring cushion part for the'battery.

Fig. 4 is ,an elevational view partly in section at one end of the casing with the.

lower end cap removed, also with the circuit plate removed .in which the operative buttons of the circuit closing devices are placed and the means for opening a normally closed circuit, the reflector with the three bulbs located therein and in contact with the three terminals which connect with the circuit closing devices.

' Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4 showing the normally closed circuit on the closed contactsfor the circuits, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 oi -Fig. 1, showing the cover plate and push secured to the barre the glass lens. 8 is a curved metal plate member which is'adapted to form a suitable support for the switch members hereinafter more fully described and the plate is secured to the casing 1 by means of the rivets 9. This plate member carries three slidable circuit closing switches 10, 11, and 12 for causing the lamps to remain in circuit or glowing and 13, 14, and 1-5, designate push buttons which are employed for momentarily closing the circuit to its respective bulb. 16 is a push button for opening the circuit to all of the bulbs, if they are closed by the slidable switches 13, 14, and 15.

Referring to Fig. 1, 17 designates a conducting strip of metal located on the interior surface of the casing 1. Its lower end being bent around the lower edge of the casing as indicated at 18. This bent lower end part is normally in contact with the fixed threaded ring member 19 with which the cap 2 is threaded. The other end of the strip 17 is attached by means of the rivet 20 to the metal terminal 21 having the overhanging part 22. Secured to the casing 1 by means of the rivet 23 is the resilient terminal 24, the opposite end 25 of which normally lies under and against the part 22. Located in the interror of the casing 1 are three electrical conducting strips 26, 27, and 28 which are secured thereto by means of the rivets 29, 30, and 31 which are also adapted to form contacts for the push buttons 13, 14 and 15 respectively. The upper ends of the strips 26-and 28 extend outwardly as shown at 32 and 33 and these strips are secured to thecasing 1 by means of the rivets 34 and 36. These three stri s 26, 27, and 28 are I 1 by means of the rivets 34, 35, and 36. The strip 27 is bent and extends inward as shown at 37, Fig. 3. Near the end of the casing is an elastic metalliomember 38 which is attached to the furnishing a cushion ,for the battery when minal of the battery.

the same is inserted. The upper end 41 of the strip 38 makes electrical contact with the lower surface of the metallic parabolical reflector 42 which serves as a conductor for completing the circuits to the several lamps carried by the reflector.

The reflector is provided with three threaded lamp sockets 43, 44, and45 into which colored lamps 46, 47, and 48 are threaded as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The terminal of the lamp 46 engaging the contact/32 of the strip 26, the lamp 47 engaging the contact terminal. 37 of the strip 27. The lamp 48 engaging the contact terminal 33 of the strip 28. The circuits of the various lamps are as follows: should it be desired to cause the lamp 46 which may 'be considered the red bulb to glow, the operator presses the button 13 which closes the circuit as follows: from one terminal of the battery 40 to the part 39, the strip 38, the parabolical member 42 through the lamp 46, tcrininal 32, strip 26, through the metallic plate 8 of the metallic plate 24 across the contacts 22 and 25, metallic'strip 17 through the metallic ring 19, cap 2 to the other ter- Should it be desired to permanently close. the circuit to the lamp 46, the slidable button 10 is pushed forward by means of the thumb. Then should-it bedesirable to momentarily open the circuit, the operator pushes the button 16 which causes the contacts 22 and 25 to open as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Should it be desirable to momentarily close the circuit to the bulb 47 which is the white one, the operator presses the button 14. The circuit can then be traced as follows: the battery terminal 49, contact strip 38 to the terminal 41, to the parabolical reflector to the lamp 47 through the terminal 37 through the strip 27, metallic plate 8 to the metallic piece 24, terminals 22 and 25, strip 17 to the other terminal of the battery.

If it is desired topermanently close this circuit to this lamp the slide member 11 is moved forward and the circuit may then be opened by pressing the button 16 as described.

Should it be desirable to close the circuit to the green bulb 48 the circuit is as follows: the battery terminal 40. the strip 38,-the' portion 41 which is in contact with the parabolic reflector 42. the lamp 48, terminals 33, strip 28. plate 8, the strip 24, contacts 22 and. 25,-strip 'projected. It-is alsqobvious that in the event of one or more bulbs beingburnt out the lamp is still ready for service.

The elastic strip, 39 is for preventing the breakage of the bulbs as it operates as a cushion when the battery is inserted.

It will be noticed from Figs. 5 and 6 that the circuit to any one of the lamps, as for instance the bulb 46 may be closed by-the operator pressing on the button 13. This will force the spring contact 50 against the rivet head 29 of the contact spring 26. If it is desired to permanently close the circuit to the bulb46, the operator pushes the slide 10 which is-connected to the strip 49. 'This moves the flexible end 50 of this stripagainst the rivet 29. Should the operator wish to flash the light while this bulbis burning, it is only necessary to push downward on the button 16,- which button through the plate 8 is always in contact with the contact strip 25 andterminal' 22 as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The circuit is therefore completed through the plate 8 to the button 16 which is electrically connected to the strip 17. The other'buttons 14 and 15 and sliding contact lland 12 may be operated in the same manner as the button 13 and the slide 10, since they are of identical construction, the button 14 would make contact with the rivet 30 of the, strip 27, the button 15 with the. rivet '31 of the strip 28. It will therefore be seen that by means of this construction the circuit to any one lamp may be permanently closed or temporarily closed by the buttons 13, 14 and 15 and the slides 10, 11 and 12 and that any one bulb may be temporarily. flashed by the button 16. If three of the bulbs areburning and it is desired. to disconnect one of them, it is necessary to move only one of the slides 10, 11 or 12.

From the above described novel arrangement of switch members, it will be noted that any one of the signal lights in the sepplurality of electric sockets associated with bulbs within said reflector, said flash light comprising means forming a separate circuit including the source of energv with each of said sockets, said flash light also to receive a source :of electrica energy, a reflector attached to the casing. 11

'the reflector so as to hold lamps with their tion a casing a'daptedto receive a source of electrical energy, a reflector attached to thecasing. a plurality of colored electric'lamps associated with the reflector, said flash light including means forming a separate c1rcu1t including the source of energy with each lamp means in each circuit for controlling the circuit to each lamp or all the lamps so as to flash any lamp or cause it to burn steadily, said control means also including means for simultaneously flashing any combination of lamps.

3. A flash light comprising a casing of insulating material, a source of electrical energy a reflector associated with the casing and in electrical contact with one terminal of the source of energy a plurality of lampsockets carried by the reflector and in electrical contact therewith, conductors separately mounted on the inside of the casing for establishing an electrical connection to the lamp sockets and to the opposite terminal of said source of energy. each of said (.filltlllUtOl'S having a terminal extending through the. casing wall, a switch mechanism for selectively controlling the operation of the sockets. comprising a conductor plate mounted on the casing and adapted to enclose the conductor terminals, resilient arms carried by the plate for establishing an electrical connection to each lamp circuit conductor terminal, a separate resilient arm mounted on the casing for normally connecting said plate and the terminal of said source of energy and means for actuating the arm to disconnect the plate from the source of energy.

4. In a flash light construction, the combination of a battery enclosing casing, a battery therein, a plurality of electric lamps, means forming circuits for said lamps including a common battery lead, normally open circuit closing means in each lamp circuit and including means for permanently retaining any one of the circuits closed and a make and break device having a member biased to circuit closing position in thecommon battery lead.

5. In a flash light construction the combination of a battery enclosing casing, a plura-lity of electric lamps, means forming circuits for said lamps including conductors attached to the casing and a common battery lead, a normally closed make and break device connecting the battery lead to a 'con-.

ductor plate mounted on the casing. normally open c1rcu1t closing means lncluded in each lamp circuit for connecting said plate to said lamps, said plate'being adapted to enclose the make and break device and the c1rcu1t closing means, and means associated with the plate for actuating the make and break device and each of the circuit closing means whereby each of the lamp circuits may be independently opened and closed and the circuits to all the lamps may be controlled b the make and break device in the battery ead.

JAMES L. SHANNON. 

